Algor Inc. has refined Hexagen, the first solid mesh engine to automatically create high-quality solid finite element analysis (FEA) meshes using bricks. Engineers can now select the desired level of solid mesh quality with a sliding control. Hexagen determines the best aspect ratio for each solid element based on the chosen mesh quality, eliminating the need to determine numerous mesh quality parameters or perform multiple meshing iterations to achieve an optimal FEA mesh. Algor Inc., 150 Beta Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15238-2932.
The Army is about to take the first steps toward fielding a new airborne intelligence gathering aircraft to replace the RC-12 Guardrail signals intelligence system and the multifunction RC-7 Airborne Reconnaissance Low.
The Conoprobe 1000 is designed for a wide range of noncontact precision measurement uses. The ``Conoscopic Holography'' technique allows measurements up to 700 points per sec. dynamically, while the probe is in motion. Extremely precise 3D digital images of nearly any surface can be made. The system was designed primarily for integration into OEM users' measurement systems. From sub-micron to meters can be measured precisely by changing the lens on the probe. Optimet, 9 Electronics Ave., Danvers, Mass. 01923.
Investors in the direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service sector cleaned up last week, and there is good reason to think the party may be far from over.
Some notable failures of enterprise resource planning software have made the news. A front-page Wall Street Journal story detailed how Hershey's new ERP system fouled Halloween candy deliveries, which boosted orders to its competitors. Hershey went ``live'' with its system in July, which was installed by SAP, IBM, Siebel Systems and Manugistics Group at a cost of $112 million. Finger-pointing has ensued. They got off cheap--Allied Waste Industries pulled the plug on a $130-million system built around SAP's R/3, and Waste Management Inc.
India's Ministry of Civil Aviation is developing a two-stage plan for Indian Airlines that would sell equity in the carrier to financial institutions through competitive bidding and eventually include a public offer, but only if the airline posts a profit for the current fiscal year. The carrier was profitable in 1997-99. Revenue generated by the sale would be used for a financial restructuring of the airline. In related news, Airbus Industrie is forecasting that India will spend up to $16 billion in the next 20 years to buy as many as 214 new transports.
AeroInfo Systems of Vancouver, (http://www.aeroinfo.com) is offering new airline maintenance software, building on its AMI-Task program used by several carriers. The MaintStream Component Set groups jobs efficiently, makes better use of ground time at any hub, and improves regulatory compliance, the company says. The program has eight connected modules that can also operate independently.
The U.S. Air Force is preparing to field on the RC-135 Rivet Joints, U-2S and Navy EP-3 on a major signals intelligence upgrade the service has been developing during the last few years. The installations of the high-band and low-band upgrades will begin next summer with flight testing starting later in the year. A production decision is slated to be made by mid-2001.
Radstone Technology has won a five-year $10.7-million contract from Lockheed Martin to supply the Octegra Image and Graphics Processor and Davic Frame Grabber for the U.S. Navy's Lightweight Multi-Purpose System helicopter upgrade.
Lytron Inc. has integrated its cooling components into standard air-to-liquid and liquid-to-liquid Modular Cooling Systems (MCS), eliminating the need for customers to engineer and assemble a custom cooling loop. The MCS line consists of eight models with cooling capabilities from 500-11,500 watts. The MCS has an efficient copper or stainless steel heat exchanger assembly, pump and reservoir which maintain the coolant temperature within a few degrees of the air or water cooling it.
PS Engineering combined intercom and audio control into a size able to fit in a 2-in. instrument hole. At less than 1 lb, the PMA4000 is 1.65 in. high X 2.4 in. wide and about 6 in. deep. Marketed to the kit and home-built aircraft enthusiast, the PMA is expandable up to 8 places, using an optional expansion unit. The Internal Recording System provides a digital aircraft radio recorder, allowing instant playback of up to 60 sec. of incoming radio traffic. PS Engineering Inc., 9800 Martel Road, Lenoir City, Tenn. 37772.
Turkey has invited Sikorsky Aircraft to begin negotiations on the acquisition of eight CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters worth an estimated $345 million. Sikorsky's bid was selected over a rival offer from Boeing with CH-47 Chinooks. A final agreement is expected in the next two months. Turkey eventually plans to increase the number to be acquired to 20.
Emco Corp. is introducing a series of high voltage power supplies that provide a fully regulated and programmable output of up to 6,000 volts in 1 cubic in. of volume. These component-sized power supplies feature PCB mounting, eliminating the slow, costly process of hand wiring a chassis-mount power supply ``brick.'' The units are controlled via a 0-5 volt programming signal and generate 0-5,000 or 0-6,000 volts, positive or negative, depending on model number. An externally accessible trim pot allows for individual calibration of units.
House and Senate conferees agreed last week to long-awaited legislation that will permit direct-to-home (DTH) satellite operators to carry local television stations. The provision strips away one of the cable industry's greatest competitive advantages. But Echostar, one of two major U.S. DTH companies, is concerned the bill is too weak on specifics.
Flite Lite is a patented chemical light that provides adequate cockpit illumination for up to 2 hr. Each light has a shelf life of more than two years. Its self-sticking adhesive backing allows it to be affixed to the clothing of the pilot, providing hands-free lighting. The green light emitted provides sufficient lighting to monitor cockpit instruments, read charts and review emergency flight ops procedures. The chemical lights are carried by many emergency organizations such as fire and police departments. LB Charts, P.O. Box 740181, Boynton Beach, Fla. 33474-0181.
Dennis Racine has been appointed marketing manager of Textron Lycoming, Williamsport, Pa. He was a manufacturing division marketing manager of Allied Signal. Monica Konyar has been named manager of customer service, Paul McBride manager of product support and Ray Crist distributor sales manager.
The new ME-1000 Solid-State Recorder records multiple channels of instrumentation data in severe aerospace environments. It logs up to 9 Gb. of operational or test data. A maximum, continuous recording rate of 16 Mbps. is available in the most demanding of applications. It records Mil-Std-1553, PCM, Asynchronous serial, time and voice data on standard PCMIA flash cards and quickly downloads via SCSl-2. Basic analysis can be done with no other equipment and playback is downloaded via the SCSI interface directly into a computer for analysis or archiving.
British Aerospace Chief Executive John Weston said the U.S. government has ``decreed that `New BAe' [resulting from the merger with Marconi Electronics Systems] is to be considered an American company'' in procurement and technology decisions. He said the company has been encouraged to build on the foundations already established in the U.S. and that ``further acquisitions in the U.S. would be welcome.'' But Weston noted that a transatlantic merger with a major U.S.
As if Lockheed Martin didn't have enough troubles, the House is not buying the Senate's approach to privatizing Intelsat. Instead, it quickly went along with Rep. Tom Bliley (R-Va.) last week when he introduced a bill that would end Comsat's status as mandatory middleman for Intelsat services in the U.S. The Bethesda, Md., aerospace giant is trying to acquire Comsat and was hoping the House would favor Sen. Conrad Burns' (R-Mont.) bill. Now, the matter will have to be thrashed out in a House-Senate conference committee.
A private sector solution to the 11-week-old Canadian merger war is evolving toward a single major airline survivor. As Onex Corp. has withdrawn its offer to acquire Canada's two major carriers and operate them as one, Air Canada has emerged as the lone contender.
Ground testing of an improved version of the Progress M1 freighter intended for the last flight to the Mir space station is nearing completion at Baikonur Cosmodrome. The new variant, built by RKK Energia, includes four additional propellant tanks, installed in the payload bays, sized to provide more than two additional metric tons of rocket propellant. Its first mission, scheduled for February, will be to supply fuel needed to deorbit Mir.
An official Board Of Inquiry (BOI) into the loss of a Royal Australian Air Force F-111 on Apr. 18, when it crashed into Aur Island off the Malaysian coast on a night exercise, has found that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft. The board of inquiry did not assign blame for the crash that killed two airmen but found ``internal management'' issues were a major factor.
The Multichannel Amplifier for the ADAS 5000 product family offers signal conditioning and A/D conversion for 8 channels on a single board for low cost per channel requirements. A continuous self-calibration scheme keeps each channel within specification over the operating temperature range and eliminates long warm-up periods. Applications include jet engine test stands, launch system checkout and test and wind tunnels. L3 Communications, 15378 Ave. of Science, San Diego, Calif. 92128.
